Thirmashir (THIR-ma-SHIR - θir.ma.ʃir)

The Tongue of Command

The language spoken by the peoples of Ardi-Kokufa and the Gleaming City. It reflects the deeply heriarchical system of command and subservience that the Lords of Fire have set across the sunside regions. The name of the language literally meaning 'Tongue of Command'.

Author note: This is experimental. The language of Thirmashir was created with the help of a Chat GPT conlang tool called Conlang Creator by AGNES SARIC. See the footer for more information

Ven thirnak erhthranlok tazhkirnath vennor thirashar erhnak tazhkirnath nor Zarvulnath, Zar’Qul Drazul.

Translation
We devote the souls of this world to sever our bonds from the God Who Hungers, Ghul Drazul.

From: First Contract, Tazhqorthir

Sample usage in names of people, places and things

Name	Meaning	Reference
Tazhqorthir	The First Contract, literally means "Original contract with the divine."	First Contract, Tazhqorthir
Zalthirnath	The Gleaming City, literally: "the shining place of those who command"	The Gleaming City
Ushokuva (Usokufa)	Those who make use of the dead	Usokufa
Tar'raq Naeth	The price of freedom	Tar'raq Naeth
Malliush (Mallius)	The Judge, or keeper. In this sense he is the judger of souls upon death.	Mallius
Tazhthirnaktar	Tithe binding (lit. Sacred soul payment)	Tithe Binding

Geographical Distribution

Thirmashir is the language of the Lords of Fire, and is spoken up and down the communities along the Godswollen River and across the deserts of Ardi-Kokufa, and even the tribes of the Shimmerlands speak it as a trade language.

The language is the closest to what many believe was the original language spoken by the Eldar and the Eldarkin before The Cosmic Defiance, and scholars in the Protectorates have wondered if the languages of the Deepkin and the Reutrned might share Thirmashir as a common ancestor.

Most recently, the Soulhusk Chimeras under the banner of the Dead Lord Kholkosi have begun speaking a simplified dialect of Thirmashir amongst themselves. Known as 'Komir (of the tongue)', it shortens much of what it uses from the parent language, and keeps to a very physical and action-focussed lexicon. Mortugurrans think it little more that a brutish imitation.

Phonology

The language of the Lords of Fire is deep and hard hitting, with heavy use of hard consonants, gutteral stops and harsh frictaves. When devilkin speak it can sound like gravel sliding over rock, or sand crunching underfoot.

It does have a percussive rythmic quality to it, with the hard consonents broken by short vowel sounds.

The stress is usually on the first syllable, especially for prefixes which stress the dominant/submissive relationships of the things being dicsussed.

Consonants

t, d, k, q	Sharp plosives, providing the percussive element to the language. Q is a deeper "k" from the back of the throat.
v, z, zh, sh, th, x	Longer frictives, tending to hissing sounds at the front of the pallet and teeth. zh "measure, sh "ship"; th "thin"; x harsh "kh"
l, r	The l is a clear, flowing consonant, while the r has a short tapping trill
n, m	Short nasal sounds

Vowels

a	as in "father"
e	as in "bed"
i	as in "machine"
o	as in "toe"
u	as in "book"

Morphology

The language is constructed by heavy uses of root words as prefix and suffixes. The most common of these are to do with elements of the heriarchy that is so central to the Lords of Fire and the culture they command.

There is a distinction between the mundane (Erh-) and the sacred (Tazh-), and these terms are used to signify the power relationships up and down the social heriarchy.

There are also key terms for bonds between people embedded into the language, like qor (civil binding) and ven (devotional binding).

Naeth is a contested word. it literally means 'unbound', and the original was am insult for betrayal ofnduty or one who is outcast. In recent years it has earned a new meaning, one of pride, for gaining freedom from bondage.

Prefixes

Ek-	absence, lack, negation
Ek'-	shamed / cast-out (name prefix)
Erh-	mundane, low-status, material
Ko-	of / belonging-to
Kur-	movement, carrying, transport
Qem-	legal/civic ratification (physical object)
Qor-	legal/civic agreement
Tazh-	sacred, divine, higher self
Usho-	employ, harness, press into service
Ven-	Religious/devotional agreement
Xoth-	taboo, forbidden
Zar-	cosmic, otherworldy, beyond law, dread

Suffixes

-ar	used to indicate 'doing'in verb construction
-ek	belonging to marker, clans, families, organisations
-en	direct blood lineage marker
-ir	used to indicate 'doing'in verb construction
-ith	essence of / quality
-lok	place / domain
-nath	agent, person who does
-naeth	betrayer / freed from bonds
-nathrak	of bodyservants
-nor	negation / opposition
-qut	obligated to / owned by
-thir	source / origin

Syntax

Thirmashir is centred on the heriarchical relationships between the people and what they do for each other.

The default order is Verb - Object - Subject, with adjectives normally following the thing they describe. The adjective order can change when used poetically or when naming proper nouns.

There are four key relationship words that get used within standard sentence structures.

Word	Meaning	Example	translation
qut	under obligation to	Qor qut Erhnak raq Malliush.	I am contracted to Mallius.
raq	in service to	Raq Malliush Erhnak.	I am in service to Mallius.
shar	under command of	Thirzar Erhnak shar Malliush.	Mallius commands me.
nor	away-from / against	Nor Malliush Erhnak.	I am against Mallius.

Vocabulary

Verbs

kir	to guard / ward
kith	to grasp / take / seize
kur	to carry / transport
mal	to judge / measure
mazh	to celebrate / proclaim (rite)
mek	to burn / ignite
qem	to seal / ratify
qor	to contract / bind by law
raq	to serve / attend (as duty toward)
roq	to exchange / share
rashun	to guide / lead / bear-duty
tax	to chop / hew
thirzar	to invoke command
thramun	to fall / be imposed
ushokuv	to reanimate the dead
val	to speak / declare
ven	to devote / covenant-bind
vennor	to unbind / sever
xalthi	to shine (emit steady radiance)
xir	to inscribe / write
xoth	to forbid / taboo
zal	to gleam / shimmer (reflected light)
zarath	to illuminate / reveal
zeth	to witness / attest
zhan	to create / construct
zor	to vow / swear

Examples

The verbs are used in sentence structure V-O-S, with the subject being added at the end of the statement.

Conjugation is simple and based on the formality of the context. The full verb (ending with ar/ir) is used in everyday speach, while the root verb used for more formal decrees. eg:

Zal Tazhkamek thrith Thirnath.	The city reflects the radiance of the Everfire.
Mal Erhnak zeth Malliush Kuvmalnath.	I am judged worthy by Mallius.
Raq Mekornath Erhnath.	We serve the Lords of Fire.
Naethar thirashar Zheknak	You betray duty
Naethar thirashar Erhnak	I free myself / abandon duty

Articles and conjunctions

ka	the (definite article)
ek	a / an (indefinite article)
zhak	this/that/td]
va	and
vaq	or
no	but / however
ko	belonging to
ith	that/which

Kithnor rashunith raq Kuvqemnath zhaknak. Kithnor thrithith raq Ushokuvnath zhaknak. Ven zhaknak raq Kith nathrak kurnath zhaknak.

Translation
He had not the patience to be an Embalmer. He lacked the grace of a Vivifier. Instead, he devoted himself to gathering the dead.

Pronouns

Erhnak	I / me (humble)
Erhnath	we / us
Tazhnak	I / me (authoritive)
Zhernak	you (singular)
Zhernath	you (pluralk)
Zhak	it
Zhaknak	Singlular he / she / him / her / they / them
Zhaknath	Plural they / them

Familial terms

Dath	blood / kin / lineage
Dathlok	household / the house (as a unit)
Dath'thir	ancestry / lineage-source
Vennak	spouse
Dathven	blood-bond / contracted house member
Thirnath	parent (lit. “source-person”)
Dathran	child (lit. “blood-sprout”)
Dathrir	sibling / cousin (lit. “blood-ripple/echo")

Kith rhaldul vashir qut Nukrhazbishlok, qut Nuklok Zarvash.

Translation
The tastiest salt dumplings can be found at the Mudstop Tavern on the Godswollen River.

heriarchy relationship terms

Eknarnaeth	The Unbound
Erhkirnath	civic guard / watch
Kornath	lord / ruler
Malnath	judge / measurer
Qemnath	bureauocrat
Qornath	contract writer
Raqnath	servant / attendant
Tazhkirnath	sacred guardian
Thirasharnath	commander / superior

Everyday terms

Bish	refuge / shelter
Kurnath	transporter
Makor	food / sustenance
Makoren	host / innkeeper
Makorul	bread / staple food
Mek	fire
Mekmakor	cooked food
Mekmakornath	cook / chef
Nuk	water
Nuklok	river / water-source
Nukmakor	stew / soup
Raqnath	servant / attendant
Taxnath	woodcutter / forester
Thran	stone
Thranath	mason / stoneworker
Valroq	Conversation
Zhanlok	building / structure

Lokvash Zalthirnath, kith Tazhkamek, eth dath dath, eth rhazkar mek mekul.

Translation
The Gleaming City was always there, touching the Everfire since before the kin were kin and before the sands had melted.

From Impetine: Reflections and Conversations by Nameless Legate of the Risen Lord

Nature and environment terms

Ardi Kokuva	Dead Wastes / Deadlands
Bish	shade / refuge
Mekith	heat
Mekxar	hot wind
Nuk	water
Nuklok	river / water-place
Nukvashir	ocean
Rhazkar	sand
Rhazlok	desert
Rhazthramun	sandstorm
Thran	stone / rock
Thrangor	mountain
Thranlok	rocky ground
Thrith	radiance / light
Xalrith	sun
Xalrithmek	sun-heat / sunfire
Xar	wind / air
Zalnuk	mirage (water-gleam)

Religious terms

Malliush Kuvmalnath	Mallius, Judge of the Dead
Mazhar	ritual
Mazhkithar	priest
Qut	obligation “upon” (ritual particle)
Tazhka	the divine / the sacred
Tazhkamek	Everfire (sacred flame)
Tazhlok	temple / sacred place
Tazhqorthir	The First Contract
Thirith	origin / source
Thirzar	issuing of holy order
Ukobish	Ukobis, Lord of shelter
Ven	devotion
Zar’Qul Drazul	the Elder God
Zarxoth	taboo name for Zar’Qul Drazul
Zethnath	witness / oracle